Has anyone any tips on how to get a Ciara wig to stay on short fine hair? Like super fine and thin. We are progressing fairly quickly in dance, but only had to wear the wig once last year.

My daughter’s hair is too thin and fine to use a bun. By the time I gather it alll up and such the sides of her head look bawled.

I’m currently putting a small donut and then a large donut over the small one on top of her head and then two small donuts on the side. The top of the wig I think I can get fairly secured…..it didn’t fall off 🙈 but I can’t get the combs to secure at the back/base. I just end up anchoring them with heaps of pins into the donuts. The cap itself just seems huge for her head so the bottom of the wig bounces around like crazy.

My concern is finding a balance between keeping the wig on her head and pulling hair out. It grows so slow. I don’t want to hold her back but also conscious that her hair isn’t like “normal” girls.

What are your favorite/least non traditional set dances? It could be because you like the music, or because you have fond memories of dancing it

Hi there!

My neighbor found out I use to Irish dance (many years ago I’m embarrassed to say) and she has an in home dance studio. Nothing competitive - we do a bi yearly performance and it’s just a fun kind of laid back dance studio. She asked me to teach Irish dance this past spring season - I hesitantly accepted and I absolutely LOVE it!! Currently I just teach an adult class - I wanted to see how well it went first season. Out of all things I’ve retained in my life - Irish dancing is one of them. It just came back so naturally and I actually do enjoy teaching. But now that the dance season is coming to an end (starts back up in fall) - I am actually really sad to not be dancing during the summer. I thought to offer a free summer workout class and I want to focus more on cardio and getting our sweat on. What are some ideas of more high intense workouts do you do when you warm up / at the beginning of dance class (Irish dance themed)? I want to start compiling different ideas to do.

(Posting on behalf of a friend I dance with)

She’s bought a new pair of Antonio Pacelli heavies and is finding them very difficult to dance in due to the toe tip being rounded (as in the bit that sits on your toes/ball of your foot) so the feels like she’s going to tip over or is walking on stilts

Anyone have any tips on how to break them in/make them flatter? The pair she dances in currently are many years old so they’re pretty worn down and flat

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I’m trying to figure out what Senior Ladies are dancing at the 2025 Am Chomhdháil Worlds - Trying to figure out a syllabus for a competition.

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Hello!

I might cross post this onto the machine embroidery community as well. But wanted to see if anyone here has experience too.

I want to make my own solo dress, I am competent at sewing and following patterns and I also have an embroidery machine. I purchased a dress pattern and video master class from Earnest Threads.

The only part of the dressmaking process I cannot get my head around is the embroidery part. I would have to multi hoop it as it’s only a domestic embroidery machine I have. But how does one go from sketch/design, to embroidered onto the dress? All videos and explanations on the dressmaking process seem to skip over this part, which is what I’m struggling with the most. I would have thought there would be more information on the digitising/embroidery part.

It is all done by satin stitch anyway so if it comes to it I will just use my sewing machine and do it by hand, but does anyone know of any videos/instructions that explain the digitising/embroidery process?

I have been dancing on and off since I was 5 (15 years), and unfortunately have had to stop dancing for the past 6 months because of terrible hip bursitis. I know that dance has played a huge role in my bursitis. While I was both dancing and working my hip bursitis was awful, but as soon as I stopped dancing I saw great improvement, even though I was still working (waitress).

I saw a PT for a couple of months last Fall, but it was getting way too expensive.

What can I do to reduce my pain? When I dance I’m scared I’m wrecking my hips. Am I doomed to never dance again?

I just finished my 4th class and tonight it’s confirmed that I’ll be doing a ceili for a recital in June but for some reason I just cannot get the skip-2-3’s right in my head.

So let’s say I’m starting on my right foot. Here’s what I’m thinking is the correct way to do it:

1. My right foot comes up and hits my butt while my left foot jumps (1)

2. My right foot goes in front (2)

3. My left foot comes forward (not in front) to join my right (3)

4. My right foot taps in place?? (4)

5. My left foot comes up and hits my butt while my right foot jumps (1)

And so on.

I’m mostly confused about step 4, or basically what to do on the 4th beat. I’m not sure if I’m correct because in my dance I do 8 skip-2-3’s then move into a cut-2-3-4-5-6-7 and it doesn’t seem correct for me to tap my foot in place and then use that same foot to move into the cut-2-3 move.

Am I making sense?? Can someone help?

i feel completely alone and at a loss because of the lack of irish dance specific resources!! i’ve been trying to manage debilitating PF since JUNE and nothing seems to work. i even took some time off and focused on lots of PT. i’ve tried the chiro, stretching, anti inflammatories, inserts etc. i have a competition at the end of the month — it’s clear the problem won’t magically go away by then, so i’m trying to research a temporary pain management solution so i can get through the comp. it’s just so overwhelming. dancers who have had this problem, did you find a solution?? AND WHAT IS IT?!??😭😭😭😭

So because I am completely crazy I'm writing a ballet on Winter but that's a whole other story. As a sister show, to be performed right after, I'm writing a ballet about Ireland cause I love the country. All full of Irish Folk music in my weird ass style. Of course I will be wanting to put some Irish dancing in there but would that be impossible to do? Are the styles too different that I wouldn't find people proficient in both? I will not be the choreographer of the ballet but I know what I want in my head so I'm not completely ignorant to it.

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Hi! I'm a 24 year old beginner and I'm hoping that (eventually!) I'll get a win that will bring me out of Beginners and into Primary. But every feis I'm entered in has a Parade of Champions. I didn't know what that was, so I've googled it and watched the videos, but I don't understand how everyone knows what they're doing? When does the first person start dancing? Do dancers just do their reel step for 16 bars or is it another tailor made step entirely? Is there any limit on what steps you can do?

It's just one of those things that people assume you know, but if you've not actually grown up with exposure to it, it's bewildering hahah. Thanks for coming to my rescue again r/irishdance ! :)

It’s driving me crazy, I heard it instantly and tried to look into it but I can’t find anything about it, all the articles I’ve seen say she didn’t sample Riverdance at all but to me the beginning sounds exactly like the notes in the beginning of countess cathleen. Anyone else hear it or am I a loon??

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I’m 27 and just started beginner classes. I only have one 1-hour class per week and then I practice at home 30minutes-1 hour 2 other days per week. I also work 3 12 hour shifts a week that involves a lot of walking.

Even with this small amount of dancing and no other exercise, I’m dealing with shin splints on my left leg only. I’m assuming the issue is me being out of shape.

Any advice on how to better strengthen my leg muscles so this doesn’t get worse and also any advice on how to help the pain go away? This is such a fun activity for me and I’d hate to give it up :(

My first Feis in prelim is coming up and I'm feeling pretty nervous. Any advice or things I should be aware of heading into the championship levels?

Hey guys! Looking for some advice on how best to strengthen my ankles. I’ve started Irish dancing again in my early thirties after a 12 year break. I’m just training at home a few times a week with my old shoes, and LOVING it, but I’m finding my ankles, in particular my Achilles are extremely sore.

I’m not doing anything particularly advanced at this stage, just re learning some pretty basic reels, and I’m warming up and down as much as possible.

I’m wondering if it’s best to plough through the pain and keep going to re build my strength, or if I need to cut right back so I can slowly build it back up. I definitely don’t want to do any permanent damage, but I’m also keen to keep going!

Anyone gotten back into it later in life and struggled with pain?

Hi!
Solo dresses are expensive! How have you jazzed up your blackout attire, added extra accessories, or created some other alternative to the $2000+ solo dress?

I'm considering getting some gemstones on my leotard and get some kind of sparkly headband, but I wanted to see what everyone else has done so far :)

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I'm trying to make a list of the most important exercises I should focus on. I always have these grand plans for training, but as an adult dancer with a job, a husband, and a couple kids, my plans always seem to fall through.

So what exercise(s) do you think are the most important for an Irish dancer? Bonus points if they help with turnout because that's my nemesis. I'm hoping to make a short list of the most important things to do daily, so that I might actually keep up with it this time.

Thanks!

Yay? Or Nay? I want to get some new hardshoes - I’m getting back into dancing and my old hardshoes are way too big (i know weird right??). Does anyone here have Corrs hardshoes? I wear a US size 5 1/2 and I’m not sure how many sizes to go down.

I’m not sure why this sub popped up on my feed today, but the timing is perfect. I used to dance in 2002-2004 and still had my soft shoes. I tried getting back into dancing during Covid following some simple YouTube videos, but it wasn’t the same.

Earlier this week I found my soft shoes in my bin of exercise equipment under my bed. Sadly they were growing mold and had to be thrown out. Where would I buy replacements? I’m hoping to find an adult class to get into every once in a while. There is a clogging group where I live (Ventura CA) but it’s a mixture of step and tap.

I’ve been interested to see the response to my recent post asking for recs of dance schools that don’t require wigs.

I know Reddit isn’t a scientific sample, but there seems to be a groundswell of people who don’t like the pressure to wear wigs. Yet schools that don’t require them (esp when it comes to older dancers and competitions/shows) seem to be in the minority.

I’m curious to see what this sub thinks of wigs. Please respond if you’re a current dancer, former dancer or parent of a current or former dancer.

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I hear it is more “athletic” now like gymnastics, but what does that mean exactly? More high kicks at competitions?

Let me know your observations on how the art form has evolved!

Hey all,

College student here thats picked up irish dance as a hobby. Recently I've started to get into hardshoe. Luckily for me, a friend of mine has almost the same shoe size as me (she's half a size smaller, in American size). As such, I've been borrowing her hardshoes and will probably buy them off her.

My question is, how comfortable should they be? I know that they aren't going to feel like shoes for everyday wear, but I notice quite a lot of pressure on the heel and a bit on the toes. I'd say after about ~20 minutes I begin to feel mild discomfort/soreness.

Is that normal? I'm no stranger to having my feet in pain, so if that's the case, I don't mind sucking it up. But if they are meant to be comfortable for hours on end, perhaps I should invest in a size slightly larger.